A SOUTH WALIAN went north and produced a once-in-a-life-time performance that could send Wrexham down into the Third Division.

Neath-born Martyn Margetson virtually single handed denied the Red Dragons the three points they desperately needed at The Racecourse on Saturday.

Margetson made three magnificent saves and in so doing left second-from-bottom Wrexham still needing a near miracle to avoid the drop.

Margetson, a former Wales B and Under-21 international, won't forget this game in a hurry, if ever. He was magnificent.

Even a disappointed Wrexham manager Denis Smith sportingly made him man-of-the-match before adding, "You have got to take your chances - and we had chances. I thought it was a good performance and the players worked tremendously hard which shows there is still good spirit at the club.

"The way the crowd reacted also shows they haven't given up, and the players have not given up, either."

Galant Wrexham came off to a standing ovation after giving the fifth placed Terriers a hard time for much of the game.

But everyone surely left with Margetson's name on their lips. He stood between Wrexham and what would have been terrific goals.

First to put him seriously to the test was Lee Trundle whose blockbuster was heading for the net until Margetson somehow got across to beat away the ball.

Marius Rovde, Wrexham's Norwegian goalkeeper, was nowhere near as assertive and Delroy Facey wasted a great chance after the Dragons 'keeper and defender Jim Whitley got in a terrible tangle. A poor punch by Rovde then led to Chelsea loan striker Leon Knight crashing a shot against the crossbar.

Knight was given a torrid time by angry Wrexham fans for what they saw as unashamed deliberate diving virtually every time he came into contact with anyone.

But the little striker, who is on loan from Stamford Bridge until the end of the season, also showed he is a handful and may still be the ace in Huddersfield's promotion pack.

Margetson's magic also denied Phillips early in the second half when he tipped over his header before the game exploded with two goals in three minutes. Rovde and Dennis Lawrence were not on the same wavelength as the ball arrived in the box and Facey swooped to make it 1-0.

But Wrexham roared back with a quick equaliser minutes later as top scorer Craig Faulconbridge flashed home a header from Darren Ferguson's corner kick.

Wrexham-born Lee Jones, who was signed on transfer deadline day from Barnsley, replaced Trundle and his extra pace gave his home-town club hope.